


First Family Meetings

by allsassnoclass (brightblackholes)



Series: mashton college AU [1]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Meet the Family, reposted from tumblr, so don't get excited if you follow me there, this was written a while ago
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:55:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28583844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightblackholes/pseuds/allsassnoclass
Summary: Michael meets Ashton's family for the first time.
Relationships: Michael Clifford/Ashton Irwin
Series: mashton college AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2094450
Kudos: 11





	First Family Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya folks this is part of my mashton college universe, all pieces of which can be read by themselves. This was originally written for the prompt "No, mom, don’t tell him I said that about him!" which was prompted to me by Maggie <3

Michael is incredibly nervous. He's not having a panic attack, but that's mostly because Ashton is standing next to him, holding his hand and with just as much tension coursing through his bloodstream, even though Ashton is trying so hard to hide it and be reassuring.

Michael has never met someone's family before. Well, obviously he's been to Calum's house and met his family, but he's never been introduced to family members as someone's boyfriend. All of his brief relationships in high school were very surface-level, nothing lasting long enough to require a meeting with family, and when Ashton first broached the idea of meeting his, Michael reacted like a deer in headlights.

"Your family?" he had asked.

"Yeah," Ashton said. "My mom and siblings are coming up from family weekend, and they want to meet you."

"They want to meet me?" Ashton had nodded, and said please and that it would mean a lot to him, and at that point Michael was powerless to refuse.

He likes what this represents, in any case. It's a lot of pressure, because Ashton adores his family and Michael wants them to like him, but Ashton wouldn't ask him to meet them if he wasn't serious about this. Everything about their relationship feels so casual and effortless, and it's nice to have an indicator that they're not just passing time together, because Michael certainly has fallen head-over-heels.

Still, now that they're standing outside of the restaurant, the panicky feeling is definitely overshadowing how nice it is that Ashton wants to meet this relationship milestone with him.

"What if they don't like me," Michael says.

"They'll like you," Ashton replies, staring at the restaurant resolutely. "They'll like you. Just try not to get overwhelmed, okay? They can be a lot. They might be embarrassing, so don't think differently of me afterwards."

"I won't," he says. Ashton squeezes his hand, then pulls him towards the restaurant.

Michael can tell the moment Ashton spots his family by the way he lights up. All of the tension leaves his body, and they bypass the hostess and navigate to the table like it's a lighthouse in a storm. Before they fully reach it, Ashton's brother is out of his seat and running towards them, flinging his arms around Ashton's middle at breakneck speed.

"Hey Harry," Ashton laughs beneath called greetings from the rest of the family. "I'm glad to see you, too."

"I missed you," Harry says, then pulls away from the hug and studies Michael critically. Michael straightens up. He feels like he should be in a tie, or something. This feels more important than meeting royalty would, and Michael definitely would be wearing a tie if he was saying hello to a monarch. 

"Hi," Harry says, sticking out his hand. "I'm Harry."

"I'm Michael," he says, cautiously taking the outstretched hand. Harry gives it one solid shake, then beams. He and Ashton have the same smile, and Michael feels himself relax a fraction.

Ashton's mom and sister join them, tugging Ashton in for hugs and giving quick introductions to Michael while he mostly tries to stay out of the way of this family reunion and simultaneously make a good impression. When they descend into their seats, Michael is relieved to see that they left a spot by Ashton open for him. He didn't think they'd split them up, but it's reassuring to have confirmation that they can brush elbows and knock knees if Michael needs it.

Michael is going to need it. He's already wondering if they'll judge him based on what he orders, and he hasn't even seen the menu yet.

"So," Anne Marie says when they sit, "we know what's going on with Ashton, because he calls home all the time, but what about you, Michael? How's your semester going? Ashton said you're a music major."

"Music business," he says, because he sounds much more likely to get a job that way. "I want to write music for video games, or be a music supervisor."

"What's that?" Harry asks, and Michael explains about how he'd choose and acquire the rights for different songs in the background of movie trailers or tv shows. Harry then asks about his favorite video games, and Michael finds himself settling into an easy conversation with him. He wishes that Harry could be the only one he's meeting right now, because 11 year old boys are easier to talk to than 14 year old girls or his boyfriend's mom.

Michael answers sporadic questions from the rest of the family until their food arrives, at which point he finally gets a break. Ashton asks Lauren about something at school they talked about on a recent phone call, and Michael tries to be attentive even though he has no context. He's so confused trying to figure out the situation that he blurts questions before thinking, and Lauren launches into a story involving her, her friends, a teacher, and a game of truth-or-dare that makes Anne Marie roll her eyes while hiding a smile. Lauren looks immensely pleased when he laughs with her. Something in his stomach unclenches the more the family talks over each other with him joining in.

He can do this. This is fine. Ashton’s family is funny, kind, and happy to have him here. Michael knows that Ashton can tell when he relaxes, because Ashton’s smiles get wider and he touches Michael more, little brushes of their hands or pressing their shoes together under the table. Neither of them overly indulge in PDA, but Michael loves every piece of contact. It’s easier to make conversation with Anne Marie once Ashton drapes his arm across the back of his chair.

Anne Marie orders dessert, because “this counts as a very special occasion,” and Ashton alternates between taking spoonfuls of Michael’s sundae and forkfuls of the cake Lauren and Harry are supposed to be sharing. Anne Marie watches with a smile on her face and a fancy cappuccino in front of her.

“It’s been so good to meet you, Michael,” she says. “Once Ashton called you the love of his life, we couldn’t get down here fast enough.” Ashton’s fork clatters onto the plate.

“No, Mom, don’t tell him I said that about him!”

Michael turns and blinks at him. He knows what the words mean in theory, but his mind is still whirring like a computer trying to open too many files.

“The love of your life?”

Ashton scrunches down in his seat, cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink.

“Oh,” Anne Marie says. “Have you not told him yet? I’m sorry, honey.”

Michael barely hears her. He clears his throat.

“That’s, um… Those are some big words to be throwing around.”

“That’s why I didn’t tell you yet,” he mumbles. “You don’t have to say it back, or anything, but it’s out there now.”

It’s too early for Michael to say those words. They might be true, but they’re still so young, and the relationship is so new in the grand scheme of things. Michael doesn’t want to say them until he knows they’re true without a shadow of a doubt. Once he calls Ashton the love of his life, he never wants to have to take it back.

He reaches out and squeezes one of Ashton’s hands, then brings it to his lips so he can kiss the back of it.

“I love you, too,” he says. It’s a compromise, but it’s not a rejection and Ashton gets that. His lips turn up slightly, then he gives his mom a look.

“If you have anything else to embarrass me with, now would be the time, Mumma.”

“Well,” Anne Marie says, “I do have a few of your baby pictures on my phone.”

“I want to see those!” Michael says. The kids roll their eyes and Ashton groans, but he doesn’t let go of Michael’s hand, keeping their fingers tangled while they lean forward to look at a young Ashton giggle at the camera. Michael can see this scene and dozens like it playing out in the future in different settings. Eventually, he’ll get to see Ashton’s childhood home and the physical photo albums that these pictures are housed in. Maybe he’ll get to attend Irwin family reunions and build his own inside jokes with Harry and Lauren.

Michael glances at Ashton out of the corner of his eye, but Ashton catches him and smiles. He’s not the love of his life yet, but he very well could be someday. His family isn’t Michael’s family, but he thinks they could be, at some point in the distant future.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are always appreciated.
> 
> You can find me on tumblr at [allsassnoclass!](http://allsassnoclass.tumblr.com)


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